Traction attachment for skis



Feb. 18, 1941. D. FARMER TRACTION ATTACHMENT FOR SKIS Filed June 8, 1959 Inventor mew Attorney! Patented Feb. 18, 1941 I D- S AT S IPATE'NTIO F I Doris Farmer, Montreal, or to Ski Hill Climber Quebec, Canada Quebec, Canada, assign- Incorporated, Montreal,

Application June 8, 1939,;SerialNo.278,121

" Claims. (01.1 2 80 1 1 .13) j J The present invention relates to improvements in traction attachments for skis.

An object of the invention is the provision of a traction attachment for skis which is highly effective to prevent back slipping of the ski.

Another object of the invention is the provision of 'a traction attachment for skis which may be quickly and easily disposed in Operative or in inoperative arrangement.

A further object of the invention is the provision-of an attachment of the above character having means for releasably holding a traction memberin inoperative position and spring means tending to dispose the said member in an operative position.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a traction attachment of the aforesaid character which may be readily attached to con- Von-tional skis.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a traction attachment for skis which is relatively simple and durable in construction. Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description progresses. I t j 1 In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and in which like reference characters areemployed to designate corresponding parts throughout the same:

Figure 1 is a'top perspective viewof the attachment secured on a ski,

Figure 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of the same, a

Figure 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2, e e j Figure 4 is a side elevational view showing the ski in down-hill position,

Figure 5 is a similar View showing a ski in hill-climbing position.

Figure 6 is a section taken on the line 66 of Figure 2, and

Figure '7 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on the line of Figure 5.

Referring to the drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention, S generally designates the intermediate fragmentary portion of a conventional ski having a foot-rest pad F secured thereon.

On the top or upper face of the ski S, preferably adjacent and in the rear of the foot pad F, is mounted a fiat anchor-plate ID of essentially rectangular elongated form having the width corresponding approximately to the width of the ski. Adjacent-the forward end the plate ill is formed with a transversely extending ridge ll, of rectangular cross section, formed with a through bore l2. At apoint spaced rearwardly from the ridge ll the-plate is provided With rec- 5 tangular transversely projecting lugs l3 extending beyond the edges of theski and formed at the top with longitudinally extending grooves. As shown to advantage at Figure 1, th plate In is firmlyfastened on the ski by a plurality of 10 screws l4 extending through aperturestherein andengaging theski body.

e In each end portion of the ridge bore I2 is removably mounted a pivot spindle I 6 havin an enlarged head I! fonits outer end of a diameter greater than the diameter of the bore and provided with an annular groove l8 adjacent its opposite inner end. (Each of these spindles is secured so that a portion is arranged in the bore and an extension portion projects laterally of the plate member, as shown at Figure 7, by means of a screw l9.

On the projecting portion of each spindle I6 is pivotally supported atraction member 2| in the form offarigid elongated strip, of metal or the like, shaped to form. a, transversely arranged sleeve 22 on its inner end rotatably fitted on the projecting portion of the spindle. The opposite outer end of each tongue 2| is rounded and ta- 3 pered toform asharp point 23 and the tongue is preferably bent transversely at a point adjacent the outer end to provide a blade portion 24 bent at an obtuse angle with the remaining body portion, as clearly illustrated at Figure 3. 5

To each side edge of the is secured an elongated bracket 26 fastened by screws 21 and formed at-one end witha tapered shoulder 28 having an interiorly threaded hole and disposed approximately below the projecting portion of each spindle. On this shoulder is fastened an arm 29, in the form of an elongated strip of rigid material, such as metal, having an aperture adjacent the inner end through which is extended a pivot screw 30 fitted in the hole in the shoulder. This enables swinging movement of the arm 29 in a plane parallel with and slightly below the top face of the ski to be positioned in a rearwardly or in a forwardly extending position against the side of the ski. The arm is slightly twisted transversely to provide 2. depending lip 30 at one longitudinal edge disposed to frictionally engage a. groove 3| formed in the top longitudinal edge of the bracket 26 to lock the arm when it is arranged in a forwardly extending position. .55

At each side of the anchor plate I is mounted an elongated leaf or strip spring 33 having an inner portion fitted in the groove in each lug l3 and rigidly fastened therein by a screw 34. These springs extend longitudinally and are arranged so that their outer end portions will contact with the inner portions of the respective tongues 2| so that the springs tend to force the tongues downwardly to operative traction positions.

As illustrated in the drawing, the respective tongues 2| are mounted to swing about the spindles in a plane perpendicular to the planes of the top and bottom faces of the ski. When disposed in inoperative position each of the arms 29 is swung to a rearwardly extending arrangement, as illustrated at Figures 3 and 4, to engage the bottom of the tongue and hold the same in a raised position above the bottom face of the ski and against the spring 2|. To render the spring more effective, a screw 35 is fitted in a hole in the tongue and provided with a relatively large head projecting from the top to contact with the outer end portion of the spring. Thus, the tongue is clamped between the arm and the spring and is securely held in a non-interfering position for normal use of the ski, particularly on level or down-hill sliding.

When the skier is travelling up-hill the arms 29 are swung from the rearwardly directed to forward positions locked against the forward extensions of the brackets 26 and releasing the tongues which are depressed or swung. downwardly by the action of .the springs thereon which dispose the tongues so that the points contact with the snow or ice on which the ski. is moved and prevent backward sliding thereof. When used on relatively soft snow, the tongues will dig quite deeply therein and assume positions at approximately right angles to the ski, as shown at Figure 5, and are restrained from further forward movement by the shoulders 28 which the tongues contact.

Thus, this attachment provides. a relatively simple and efiective means for aflording traction against back sliding of the ski on snow or ice and is designed to enable very simple and rapid adjustment to dispose the tongues or gripping spurs in inoperative positions or to release the same for operative traction arrangement.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herein shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes as to the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A traction attachment for skis comprising a plate adapted to be secured on the top face of a ski, a pair of pivot elements attached to and projecting transversely from the plate, a pair of elongated tongues pivotally connected with said pivot elements movable to operative traction positions and to raised inoperative positions, a bracket adapted for connection with a ski at each side, an arm pivotally mounted on the bracket movable in a plane parallel with the top face of the ski and adapted to hold each tongue in a raised inoperative position in one arrangement and to release the tongue in another arrangement, and spring means engageable with the tongues yieldingly acting to swing the tongues to downwardly operative positions.

2. A traction attachment for skis comprising a plate adapted to be secured on the top face of a ski, a pair of pivot elements attached to and projecting transversely from the plate, a pair of elongated tongues pivotally connected with said pivot elements movable to operative traction positions and to raised inoperative positions, a bracket adapted for connection with a; ski at each side, an arm pivotally mounted on the bracket movable in a plane parallel with the top face of the ski and adapted to hold each tongue in a raised inoperative position in one arrangement and to release the tongue in another arrangement, and a pair of leaf-springs mounted. on the plate engageable with the tongues to yieldingly depress the same to downward operative positions.

3. In a traction device for a ski, a pivoted traction member, and an arm pivoted to swing in a plane at right angles to the pivoted movement of the traction member operable to support the said traction member in inoperative position, and means for releasably locking the said arm in its retracted inoperative position.

4. In a traction device for a ski, a pivoted traction member, a bracket attached to the ski, an arm on the bracket operable to assume a supporting position longitudinally under the traction member and an oppositely extending retracted position, and means for releasably locking the arm with the bracket.

5. In a traction device for a ski, a traction member pivoted to swing in a plane at right angles to the plane of the ski, a bracket attached to the side of the ski, an arm on the bracket mounted to swing in a plane parallel with the plane of the ski, the said arm being movable to a rearwardly directed position to support the traction member in inoperative arrangement and to a forwardly directed releasing position, and means for releasably locking the arm in its forwardly arranged position.

DORIS FARMER. 

